Latest UK Immigration Changes for Tier 4 Student visa

Students will no longer will be able to extend their visa or switch to a work visa while in the UK. From November, tier 4 (general) students at colleges will have to apply from outside the UK or from student home country, creating a barrier to further study or employment.

They will not be able to extend their studies in the UK unless they are registered at an institution with a formal link to a university. This comes into force on 12 November and could limit students’ progression from colleges to universities.

Those at publicly funded FE colleges will be banned from working part-time. They can currently work for up to 10 hours per week and for an unlimited time outside term time. The new rule will apply to students who apply for their tier 4 visa on or after 3 August, but won’t apply retrospectively to students already here. International students at private colleges lost this right in 2011.

Study visas at FE level will be cut from three years to two. The government says the change, which comes into force on 12 November, will help ensure academic progression. But some FE courses can run for more than two years, and this change could reduce the number of qualifications students are able to gain while in the UK.